Ok, I finally am at the point where I have permission from my Boss(wife) to get a gunsafe. It is way overdue, and if they all walk away I will not be able to replace them. I have several pump shotguns with either 26 or 28 inch barrels and I think that this is going to cause problems with the standard 59/60 inch high safes. On those I will have to poke their barrels through a slot in the top shelf. That will then force all the shotguns to be located in just one area of the safe. I have been told for clearance issues on scope Rifes to plan on alternating shotgun,rifle,shotgun,rifle,shotgun,rifle,,,,,,,,, ,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Is this what everyone else is doing. I would rather the top shelf be available for handguns and not be carved up like swiss cheese.

I am looking at the Winchester 24 gunsafe over at Tractor Supply. It is onsale for 599.xx. It is only around 500# and my current collection will fill it. I like the security of the safe and the externel hinges and the door opens a full 180 degrees. The major problem is I have to bring my Dad's gun collection up from Florida. That is heavy on shotguns instead of Rifles and that will fill a second Winchester. If I go with the Winchesters it will be one for Pistols/Rifles and one for Rifles/Shotguns without the top shelf installed. Tractor Supply also offers a cheaper safe (Cannon) that only has retractable bolts on one side. It is offered in a 72 inch tall version. This one is rated as a 48 gun model. All the eggs would probibly fit in it. The main problem is that a pro could get into it very easily. A light weight going house to house for drug money would be detered by the cheap one. Again this is a tuff choice, I will not forgive myself if I lose all of these special friends because I SAVED 1000.xx bucks. If I go with two Winchesters each of my Sons will have one when that day comes to divide up Dad's guns.

The Cannon safes offered by TractorSupply are their made in Mexico bare bones safes. They have retracting locking bolts on only one side. Again the Cannon entry level models give you alot of area in the safe to store your firearms. I was over at Gander Mountain again today looking at the gunsafes by Liberty. I think that they are alot better than the entry level Cannon's at TractorSupply but they cost more. The problem I have is that the safes I like the most, if I am only getting one are listed at 30.5 inches deep. I have a basement door going downstairs, you guessed it 30.5 inches wide. Can you say close fit. Gander has one of the Liberty Fatboy JR onsale for 1099.xx this week. I am really tempted, except I wanted a digital access not the tumbler lock.

Personally other than my Sons I would rate a good Dog as my number One friend in the field. I have a favorite knife that I have carried for 28 years hunting. I really like it even after buying 3 or 4 to take its place. The same one makes the trip each year. Having said that if someone stole it I would not be as upset as if someone stole one of my firearms. They are more a part of the memories past than the knife I used.

I never tried to think it through to the degree that you have. I remember and have taught my Son to aim for the opposite front leg on a quartering shot. He was taught to go 1/3 up the body following the front leg up on a broadside shot. With the animal quartering to or from you if you use that hidden from leg as your aiming point the bullet will travel through the boiler room on the Deer heading for that leg.